Princess of Pirates
by just-a-little-insane
Summary: Will and Elizabeth have a daughter, Caroline. At age thirteen, she's a real hot-head. When Jack turns up with his son, Caroline gets to go on an adventure all her own.
1. The Fight

Disclaimer: Caroline, James, and any other characters not in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" are mine, but other than that, I own nothing. If I did own all that other stuff, I would be rich, and would not be wasting my time here.  
  
Chapter One: The Fight  
  
"I'll sing at your funeral if you want me to." I yelled to James Barring.  
  
"There is no way some girl is going to beat me." James yelled back.  
  
"That's what you always say." I said, hitting his sword with mine. "And I always beat you!"  
  
"Only because you cheat!" James yelled back to me, as he took off to the Blacksmiths.  
  
"I do not cheat!" I yelled, running after him.  
  
"Caroline Turner, not only do you cheat, you lie about cheating!" James yelled.  
  
"I swear, on my father's life, that I do not cheat!" I said, my voice dropping to a whisper.  
  
'Then tell why you win every time?" James hollered, waving his sword around like a mad man.  
  
"I win because my father, Will Turner, has trained me from the age of two, when I started waving a stick around from our yard." I whispered.  
  
"You know as well as I do, that he is the best sailor and swordsman that Port Royale has seen."  
  
"You just like to brag about him." James said, and to counteract my voice, his was getting louder.  
  
"I am proud of my father. That's all." I said, and my voice dangerously low. James knew what it meant. He knew I was mad.  
  
I took advantage of this distraction, and I knocked the sword out of his hand.  
  
Just then I heard an all too familiar voice yell from the blacksmiths, "Caroline!!!"  
  
"Go and run to Daddy, like you always do!" James yelled after me.  
  
"I'm running to Daddy because he called to me." I yelled back. "Unlike you, I listen to my elders!"  
  
"Are you saying I'm disrespectful?" James yelled after me.  
  
"Why, yes, I suppose I am!" I yelled, as I pulled the door to the Blacksmiths open.  
  
"Come back and say that to my face!" James yelled, but it was too late. I had already closed the door.  
  
Sorry for the shortness, I have a few other things to catch up on. Read and respond, please!!!!!! 


	2. Will's Surprise

Chapter Two: Will's Surprise  
  
"Caroline, what have I told you about beating the boys every time you get challenged?" Dad asked me when I had shut the door.  
  
"You tell me two different, and very contradicting things." I started.  
  
"First, you say never to let anyone win, because then they can never get better. Then you tell me not to go so hard on the boys. How can I do both at once?"  
  
"Many of the boys are just as good as you. You just need to go a little easer on them, in order to give them a chance to beat you." Dad said.  
  
I sighed. "I don't want them to beat me. I just want them to know what I can do. They always say how I'm just a girl, and I can't do anything. Do you know how irritating it is to have everyone underestimate you all the time?"  
  
"Yes, I do." He said. And he left it at that.  
  
"Can you elaborate on that?" I asked, pacing.  
  
"I can, but the real question is, 'Do you deserve this?'" He said, pulling down the most magnificent sword I had ever seen. It was gleaming silver, and as I stared at it, Dad turned it so that I could see a large, sparkling sapphire, set in the hilt.  
  
"I think I deserve it." I said, acting cute and innocent. Maybe, if I was lucky, I would get the most beautiful sword in the world.  
  
"I don't think you do." Dad said. He was smiling all the same, and Dad never smiles when he's giving out punishments. Believe me, I know. "What will you do to assure me that you have earned this?"  
  
I racked my brain. Something that I would do that he could be sure that I would do, so that I could get that sword. "I could do all the cooking during our next sail." I said. Father was captain of his own ship, and he always brought Mother and I along.  
  
"Caroline, don't lie." He said. Why was I always being accused of lying? That's because most of the time, that's what you do, said that annoying little voice in my head that spoke the truth. "You couldn't stand to just stand below deck all day." He was right. I could hardly stay below deck for ten minutes, nevertheless the whole trip.  
  
"Promise to give the boys a chance to beat you, and I'll give you the sword." He said, and I wanted to shoot him.  
  
"You're telling me to play nice with the boys? I don't like to! They take the mickey out of me, and I'm going to beat them because of it. I'm not going to let them win, after they have made fun of me!" I then started muttering in French under my breath.  
  
"Caroline, say it in English, or don't say it at all." Dad said, clearly sick of my muttering in odd languages.  
  
I closed my mouth. I thought over his proposed deal. "Fine." I said. "I'll be nice to the boys." I wasn't happy about the arrangements, but it was easer to do it his way than to fight it. At least in this situation.  
  
He handed me the sword. It was perfect.  
  
"Caroline, I need to go down to check up on the loading." He said, as he walked towards the door. Take the orders, and I'll get to them as soon as possible."  
  
"Right, Dad." I said, and he swept through the door.  
  
It was a slow day. Old Mr. Tibbles came in, complaining about his dagger. He made the order for another one, and that was the most action I had seen all day. That is, until the door banged open unexpectantly. 


	3. The Unexpected Visitor

Thank you my adoring fans!!!! This chapter is for everyone who reviewed!!!! Oh, and by the way, cliffhangers are my specialty, so get used to them!  
  
Chapter 3: The Unexpected Visitor.  
  
I wasn't expecting anyone out of the ordinary to step in. I certainly wasn't expecting Captain Jack Sparrow to walk in. But he did walk in. Well, maybe not walked. He sort of swaggered in. Or maybe it was a waddle. It certainly wasn't a walk.  
  
I was a little scared. I mean this guy has been a wanted man for years before I was born. And here he comes, just waltzing (or waddling) in, like he owns the place. But if he tried to use one of the many swords, knifes, or daggers that I could tell he had on him, I would be able to take him. It was the guns I was afraid of.  
  
He seemed confused. There was a boy behind him, about 13, my age. If the boy was supposed to be Jack's son, he looked nothing like him. The boy had bleach blond hair, bright, crystal blue eyes, and a beautiful, sort of half secret smile, which was spreading slowly over his face. I felt like my knees were turned to jelly. And I didn't like it one bit.  
  
Jack opened his mouth to say something. He closed it, and passed out. He dropped to the floor. That was the first time I got a good whiff of him. He had a distinct scent of rum on him.  
  
"Is he drunk?" I asked the boy next to him.  
  
"The boy nodded. "He's been drunk like this since we left Tortuga."  
  
"Dad isn't going to happy." I said, shaking my head at the heap on the floor.  
  
"Who is your father?" He asked.  
  
"Will Turner." I said.  
  
"So you'll be Miss Turner?" He asked.  
  
Now not only did my knees not work properly, but my mouth was going dry. "Yes." I said "I'm Caroline."  
  
"David Sparrow." He said. I smiled at him, and his smile grew. Once again, I felt something bad happen to me. Now in addition to the knees and the mouth, my heart was flipping around like a fish out of water.  
  
Then the door burst open again. In walked Dad. He looked from me, to David, to the heap on the floor, and back to me.  
  
"You mind explaining, Caroline?" He asked.  
  
I took a deep breath. 'Well, I was sitting here minding my own business, when the door bursts open. These two walk in, he faints, and that's about it." I said, smiling.  
  
He knew that I was leaving something out. "You have no clue who these people are?" He asked, his eyebrows raised  
  
"Well, this is David Sparrow." I said. "And I'm guessing that's Jack Sparrow, because I've seen his picture on wanted ads since I could read." Said, acting innocent again. "Oh, and because he smells like rum."  
  
Dad smiled. "Right you are." He said. He seemed to be thinking. "Caroline, take David home, and explain to your mother. I'll take care of Jack."  
  
"Ok Dad." I said, and David and I left. He walked through Port Royale in silence, until we approached the house.  
  
"So how's your mother going to take to you bringing a boy home?" David asked, his secret smile returning.  
  
"Well, seeing that the only time I do bring them home is when they're bleeding, and I haven't hurt you yet, she'll be a little alarmed." I said, smiling back at him. I started humming. I wanted to sing, but I was shy, for the first time in my life.  
  
"Mother!" I called trough the house as I closed the door.  
  
"I'm in the parlor!" She yelled back.  
  
I ran into the parlor. She was at the window, which over looked the ocean.  
  
"Mother, when I was covering for dad-"  
  
"Caroline, come look at this." She said. Her voice had a note of urgency in it. I walked to the window. "Tell me if you can see that ship." She said, pointing out the window.  
  
There was a really, really, really big ship outside. It didn't have a flag on it, but it had black sails, and had the overall appearance of a pirate ship. I had seen that ship before, but where?  
  
"It looks familiar." I said.  
  
"So you do see it?" Mother asked.  
  
"Yeah, I can see it. And I think I know what ship it is."  
  
"It's the Black Pearl" Mother, David, and I said together. We all turned to look at one another.  
  
"How do you know about the Black Pearl?" David asked, just as Mother said, "Who is he?"  
  
"This is David Sparrow." I said to Mother. "I've read about the Black Pearl." I said to David.  
  
"A pleasure meeting you, Madame." David said. "But how do you know about the Black Pearl?"  
  
"I've been aboard the Black Pearl." Mother said.  
  
"You have?" David and I said together. This was news to both of us.  
  
"You're father and I both, Caroline." She said, lightly.  
  
"And I didn't know this. why?" I asked, angrily.  
  
"Your father and I were going to tell you, but we just got side tracked." Mother said.  
  
And, once again, the door banged open. 


	4. Aboard The Pearl

Thank you, everyone!!!!!!!!!!! This Chapter is for everyone who has died because of our (America's) stupid president's war!!!!!!!!! I'm writing this one 9/11, so it's also for everyone who died that terrible day two years ago.  
  
Chapter 4:Aboard the Pearl.  
  
"William Turner, you will explain exactly what is going on, and why the Black Pearl is here after fourteen years of not being seen at all!!!" Mother yelled as Dad walked in the room.  
  
I sighed, and slumped into a chair. I knew a row was coming.  
  
"Sit up straight, Caroline." Mother shot out to me.  
  
I straightened up. David flashed me a quick grin, and sat down next to me. "Calm down, Elizabeth." Dad said.  
  
"Calm down!?!?!?! Calm down?!?!?!?!?" Mother shrieked, waving her hands around. "Will, how do you expect me to calm down? Who would act calm in a situation like this???"  
  
"Caroline is acting calm." Dad said, quietly but clearly.  
  
"Caroline is acting calm because she has no clue what any of this means!" Mother said shrilly. "And as much as I love her, she not what most would call normal, Will."  
  
"So Caroline is mentally subnormal now, is she?" Dad asked, angrily.  
  
"I never said that, Will!"  
  
I turned to David. "Come on." I whispered, and I tip-toed to the door. He followed. Mother and Dad didn't even realize we were gone.  
  
I lead him out the door and to the short-cut to the dock. Once we were there, we walked up to my father's ship, The Queen Margaret.  
  
"This is your father's ship?" David asked, looking up at it.  
  
"Yes." I answered. It was the fastest ship on the sea, besides The Black Pearl.  
  
"It's nice." David said.  
  
"What do mean 'It's nice.'? It's the best ship the British Navy owns!!!!!" I said.  
  
"The Black Pearl is better." He said. Can't argue there.  
  
"You're right." I said, looking out at it, sulking. I had always wanted to go aboard the Black Pearl.  
  
David seemed to be able to read my mind. "You want to go out for a look?" He asked.  
  
I thought I had heard wrong. 'You mean, go out to The Black Pearl?" I asked, sounding highly intelligent.  
  
David rolled his eyes. "No, we're going to go half way out and turn back." He said, his voice full of sarcasm. "Of course to The Black Pearl!"  
  
"And How are we going to accomplish that?" I asked.  
  
He walked to the end of the pier, and whistled. As though it was waiting for that whistle, The Pearl began to move towards us.  
  
"Wow." I said.  
  
David just laughed.  
  
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"It's better than I dreamed it would be!" I exclaimed, once we were onboard.  
  
It was fantastic. The sails were black as midnight.  
  
"David!" I heard a voice call.  
  
"What, Gibbs?" David said, as a man came up from below deck.  
  
"I need you to go up and make sure the rigging is tight."  
  
"Aw, come on, Gibbs, do I have to?" He said.  
  
"I'll do it." I said.  
  
"No, Caroline." David said. "It's too dangerous, you'll." He trailed off. He trailed off because I was already up.  
  
"Caroline, get back down here!" David called up to me.  
  
"You sound like my father!" I yelled back.  
  
"I have a right to!" He shouted up at me.  
  
"It's fine!" I said, as I came back down.  
  
"You want to give me a heart attack or something?" David asked, as Gibbs laughed.  
  
"You be Miss Turner, then?" Gibbs asked me.  
  
"Yes." I said. I would have elaborated, if I hadn't seen what was waiting for me back on shore.  
  
"David, I think we are in trouble." I said.  
  
"What makes you say that?" He asked.  
  
"That." I said, pointing to the shore. 


	5. The Escape

Chapter Four: The Escape  
  
"We're in trouble." I repeated.  
  
"Yep." David said. "We're in trouble.  
  
On the shore stood my father, David's father, Mother, Grandfather, and half the navy.  
  
I looked at David. He looked at me.  
  
"This is your fault." We said together.  
  
"How can you blame me!?!?!" I exclaimed.  
  
"You were the one who wanted to come on so bad." He hissed at me.  
  
"I wouldn't have been able to, if it weren't for you." I whispered back, as the ship, on Jack's orders, headed back to the port.  
  
"So you should be thanking me, not blaming me!" He yelled.  
  
"Hey, do you want the whole damn island to hear?" I hissed into his ear. "No." He whispered into mine, sending shivers up and down my spine. "So how do we et out of this mess?"  
  
I looked at the port. If we docked to the right, we could easily swing onto Dad's ship, and slip out with out anyone noticing.  
  
"Dock starboard!" I yelled to the woman steering. She nodded. I turned to David. "Once we have gotten close enough, we'll swing onto my dad's ship."  
  
"With what?" He asked.  
  
I pointed to the ropes swinging from the rigging. "We'll be tightening it, and escaping at the same time." I murmured.  
  
"Right." He said, and he grabbed a rope. I grabbed the other. We waited for a moment.  
  
"They're ready to board." I said, watching my father. "On three." I said, glancing at him, and he nodded. "One, two, three."  
  
We swung onto Dad's ship. I landed on my feet. David fell to the floor. I laughed. "Come on, we don't have time to hang around." I said helping him up. As I did, I felt his hands on my waist. At first I didn't know why, but when I looked up at him, I realized that he was looking at me differently. He had something in his eyes that I hadn't seen before.  
  
He pulled me closer. I probably should have tried to get away, but I didn't. For some reason, it didn't seem so weird. He looked down at me (God, he was tall!), and I saw that secret smile start to show.  
  
The magical moment was broken by a low ruble of voices. Reality returned, and we both looked at the Pearl. Dad was on it, and so was Mother.  
  
We ran. "Come on, follow me!" I said, jumping onto the dock. We ran into town. I turned right, and knocked on a door.  
  
My friend Emily opened it. "Caroline, I wasn't expecting you-"  
  
"Yeah, Em, I know. But we are in a jam, and need a place to hide."  
  
Emily's eyes traveled over me to David. Her jaw dropped. She had a right, seeing has he was the best-looking thing Port Royale has ever seen.  
  
"Yeah, come in."  
  
We ran in. Emily led us to the courtyard.  
  
"So, you mind explaining why you are running around with some guy that no one knows?" She asked, as we sat down on her giant swing.  
  
"Well, we were aboard the Black Pearl, Dad and half the navy found out, so we ran for it." I said, sitting between her and David.  
  
"And does he have a name?" Emily asked, waving aside the fact that I was just on the most notorious pirate ship in the world.  
  
"Oh, yeah." I said. "This is David Sparrow. David, this is Emily Gardens."  
  
They shook hands.  
  
"So you want to camp out here for how long." Em asked.  
  
"Only until the navy goes back to wherever they came from." I said. "I can deal with the parents."  
  
Emily was string at the door.  
  
I looked too.  
  
"Damn it." I whispered 


	6. Shut up and

Thank you, everyone! Title of this chapter sucks, but my bnrain is dead from homework DaKine2Remeber: I know, romancing Jack's son. The only thing that's better is romancing Jack. Claire: Thank you!! I can't believe you think it is as good as the movie!!!! I don't think anything can beat the movie! Cheez-It: I know, you hate cliffhangers, but I love them, and I promise that the Chapter seven will not end in a cliffhanger. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*`*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter Six : "Shut up and."  
  
"Thought you could run from us, did you?" Dad asked, looking down at us.  
  
"Yeah, I figured we could." I said, looking at the wall separating Emily's courtyard from her neighbors.  
  
"Well, you thought wrong." Dad said.  
  
"I don't think I did." I said, hooking eye contact with David.  
  
"You don't?" Dad asked.  
  
"No, I don't." I said, and David and I broke into a run, and vaulted over the courtyard wall. We repeated this until there weren't anymore walls. Then I led him down a hidden path and into the woods.  
  
I stopped to catch my breath, David stopped too.  
  
"Why are we running from them?" David asked.  
  
"So we can get away with out punishment." I answered.  
  
"But we are just making them angrier." He said.  
  
"I know." I answered. "But then, when we lose them, we give them time to calm down, and then once they have cooled down, we go back. They give us an easy punishment, and all is well. Believe me, I know this by now, it's a highly useful technique."  
  
"And it gives us time alone." David said, grinning.  
  
"That too." I said.  
  
Suddenly I felt his hands on my waist again. And oddly, I didn't want to pull away. He pulled me closer to him.  
  
I told myself not to look him in the eyes. Of course, that was the first thing I did. His eyes had that different look to them again. I tired to place it. It looked like he wanted to do something with me. Something bad.  
  
His right hand came up and pushed the hair put of my face. I shivered. My spine had chills going up and down it. My heart was hammering, my mouth was dry, and I couldn't think straight. What was happening???? I need to know what the hell was going on.  
  
"Caroline, relax." David said, so my face must have shown some of what I was thinking.  
  
Know that got me ticked off. He was telling me to relax?? I'd like to see him in my shoes, and pretty sure he wouldn't relax.  
  
"You are telling me to relax?" I asked, but oddly enough, when he told me to, I seemed to be. He could have told me to jump off the side of Dads ship, and I probably would have done it.  
  
"You are though, aren't you?" He said, his secret smile still in place.  
  
"Against my will, I assure you." I hissed, but I wasn't mad anymore. He seemed to have a magic touch that I could not explain.  
  
"Oh, I don't think so." He said, and by now we were hardly an inch from each other.  
  
That was when it hit me. It was like lightning. I was standing there, in confusion, and suddenly I wasn't confused anymore. I knew why my heart was flipping around, and my mouth felt like sandpaper, and I couldn't think straight. I was in love. In love with a pirate. An act so terrible, it was considered a crime. I had fallen in love with a pirate. Mother and Dad would disown me. Well, maybe not Dad. Mother would. She would be forced into it by Grandfather, whom I did not like at all.  
  
I looked at David. He was still smiling, and I felt weak in the knees.  
  
He leaned down to whisper something in my ear. "There is no need to be frightened, Caroline." He said.  
  
Finally, something inside me started to act normal. Unfortunately, it was my temper.  
  
"No need to be frightened? No need to be frightened? I anyone finds out about this, you are as good as dead, and I'm as good as disowned!! You don't understand. For someone like me to fall in love with a pirate, it's considered scandalous, even considered a crime!! They would have you hanged on some made up charge, and I would be disowned!!!"  
  
"But we won't be here." He said.  
  
I looked at him, and I knew what he was thinking.  
  
"No. We can't run away on The Pearl. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of."  
  
"Aye, but you didn't hear it."  
  
He got me there. "Still it's the stupidest idea I have ever sensed." I said.  
  
"And why do you think that?" He asked, his voice sending those damn shivers down my spine.  
  
I don't know what made me say it. It just slipped. "Just shut up and kiss me already!"  
  
David smiled, tilted my chin upward, and kissed me.  
  
It was the best thing that had ever had. His kiss swept trough me, like a lightning. For the first time in my life, I felt safe.  
  
Of course, I didn't know who was hiding in the bushes surrounding us. 


	7. Caught!

Finally, I can update!!!!!  
  
Dad walked out, with half the British Navy in tow.  
  
"Uh-Oh." I said.  
  
"Perfect." David said.  
  
"Are you willing to come quietly?" Dad asked.  
  
I looked at David. He looked at me. We sighed.  
  
"We'll come." I said, walking to him.  
  
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"And don't get me started on what sort of damage you to could have done." Mother said, after an hour of lecturing us on everything else under the sun. "If your grandfather hears about this-"  
  
"I thought Grandfather already knew." I said.  
  
"You speak when spoken to, young lady." Mother said. "I don't remember telling you that your grandfather knew, and I know that he doesn't know, and that's how it will stay. If he finds out, he'll accuse me of not raising my child right, and then-"  
  
"Blame Dad for not taking proper care of us, and turning me into a rebel." I muttered under my breath.  
  
Luckily, she didn't hear me. Dad put his hand on my shoulder, smiling. I knew that he was remembering the last time we were on the ship, alone together. We had had a lot of fun making fun of Mother. Dad told me stories of before I was born, back when she liked people. Now, she was just some crabby old hag. But she was my mother, and even I could remember the days when she told me stories instead of lectures. Was it me who was bad, or her? Was this my fault? Or did she just want to lecture someone, and I was always closest?  
  
Finally, she let us free. I was confined to the house for a month, so I brought David up to my room. I flopped onto my bed, looking out the window. I could see the Pearl, just waiting for me to get on her.  
  
David saw what I was watching, and smiled. "She's callin' your name, Caroline." He said. "You just need to answer her."  
  
I smiled at the thought of me, on the ship, sailing towards the horizon.  
  
"Maybe tomorrow." I said, and I fell asleep.  
  
Short, but I'm being kicked off. 


	8. Author's Note

Sorry, I know you all think this is an update, but it isn't.  
  
This is why there haven't been many updates.  
  
2 Plays + 1 Mega Mullet + 1 F in math + 1 D for mega mullet + 10 missing assignments + 23 long running Obsessers Anyonymis sessions + 4 new mock trials + 1 case of writers block = no spare time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
There haven't been updates in a while, and there won't be updates for a while. Sorry for all those I have offended. Please don't leave me forever. Come visit me in my little corner once in a while. I'm not dropping this, just pausing it. 


	9. Finally Gone!

Hi!!!!! God, it's been a while. Well, say good bye to writer's block!!!!! For now, at least. I either dramatically improved the story with this chapter, or ruined it entirely. As always, tell me which, and if I did go wrong, where. Thank you, people of the world!!! CYA!!!!!!!!!

**Chapter Eight: Finally Gone!  
**  
When I finally woke up, I noticed two things immediately. One, I was completely alone. The second, was that, judging by the position of the moon, which was nearly full, it was hardly past midnight.  
  
I slid out from between the sheets, and found my slippers underneath the bed. Silent as a mouse, I crept into the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat.  
  
My first tip off should have been the bottle of rum sitting on the countertop. But maybe I was just dazed, because I certainly didn't see it.  
  
After a thorough and unsuccessful search of the kitchen, I started back upstairs. That was when I first noticed something.  
  
I had reached the landing, and was about to move up the second staircase when I saw a flicker of light from underneath the closed door of my father's study. I listened closely, and heard the faint rumble of voices.  
  
I crept towards the door, my ears straining to hear the voices. I could hear my father's distinct articulation, but that was all I recognized.  
  
After a few minutes, I decided it was only two men, my father and a stranger. They seemed to be debating something. I opened the door a crack, thanking all that was holy that one of Dad's major pet peeves was squeaky hinges. Perfect.  
  
"I'm worried about Caroline, Jack." My father murmured. "I'm not leaving her here with Elizabeth. But I don't think she could handle life on the Pearl."  
  
"Will, ye worry too much." Now that I could hear properly, I recognized Jack's slurred voice. "She'll be fine aboard the Pearl; she's your daughter, isn't she?"  
  
I could visualize the look on Dad's face, torn between what he felt would be the most fun and what was the safest. "I think your right, Jack. She can handle it. She isn't a child any more." He sighed. "Elizabeth isn't going to be happy with our leaving."  
  
That's when it hit me. Dad was leaving Mother. I had never really loved my mother, mainly because she was such a total opposite from me, but the fact that after fourteen years of putting up with her as his wife, Dad found out that he couldn't stand the woman, that surprised me. The fact that I managed thirteen years of dealing with her surprised me, but hearing from his lips that he was truly leaving, well, it felt like the first sign that the sky might just start falling down from above us.  
  
It wasn't until I heard the words "Wake up Caroline." That I decided I should head back to my room. I made my way there, kicked off my slippers and buried myself under the sheets before my father even reached the stairs.  
  
I was 'sound asleep' by the time he got up the stairs. He strode over to my bed, and lightly tapped me on the shoulder. My eyes snapped open. "Dad?" I murmured, in a wonderful, half asleep voice. He was right. I should be an actress.  
  
"Caroline, you know that your mother and I... well, we haven't been very happy with each other." He hesitantly whispered.  
  
I smiled. "It's kind of obvious in the way you both yell at each other for hours at a time."  
  
"Well, I've decided that you mother needs some time alone, to think about... things." He appeared to not want to tell me much. "But I want to ask you, if you would rather stay here, or come wi-"  
  
"So you're leaving Mother?" I asked point-blank.  
  
Dad hesitated for a second, and then said, "Yes. For the time being, I'm leaving your mother. She has become too much to handle."  
  
I raised my eyebrows. "And you were going to leave me here with her?"  
  
He grinned mischievously. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I think I now know why Emily has always said that my mother had no idea what sort of a man she had managed to hook.  
  
"Well, if you're willing to live on a pirate ship for the next couple of months-"  
  
"I'm coming." I cut him off again. "I'm not staying with Mother when I can be on the sea."  
  
"Well, if you're so eager, start packing." Dad said, standing up. "We might be able to leave before dawn."

By noon the next day, we were headed... well, somewhere. We had been aboard the Black Pearl by dawn, and finally, we were free. The odd, thing, though, was that I hadn't seen hide or hair of David or his slightly drunken father all day. I had explored most of the ship pretty haphazardly before I finally found David.  
  
I was leaning against the stern-side railing, gazing out at the ocean, when I felt an arm go around my waist. I spun around, ready to kill whoever it was. When I saw it was David, I relaxed.  
  
"You have a bad habit of scaring the living daylight out of me." I said huffily. "You really ought to stop that."  
  
He laughed. "And miss all the fun?"  
  
I smiled, fingering the sword hilt at my waist. "You want some real fun?"  
  
His eyes went to my right hand. "Oh no." He muttered, backing away. "I know what damage you can do. Thanks but no thanks, I like my limbs."  
  
"I'll go easy on you." I sighed. "I know by now how sensitive the male ego can be."  
  
And I did. I also knew that after a verbal stab like that, there was no way he was going to back down.  
  
"Fine." He said, unsheathing his sword. "That's how you want to play, we'll play."  
  
Let's just say, I'm still undefeated.


End file.
